(1) Background: Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and ɤ-linolenic acid (GLA) are well-known anti-inflammatory agents that may help in the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Their effects were examined in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; (2) Methods: Sixty patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were involved in a prospective, randomized trial of a 12 week supplementation with fish oil (group I), fish oil with primrose evening oil (group II), or with no supplementation (group III). Clinical and laboratory evaluations were done at the beginning and at the end of the study; (3) Results: The Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28 score), number of tender joints and visual analogue scale (VAS) score decreased notably after supplementation in groups I and II (p < 0.001). In plasma phospholipids the n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio declined from 15.47 ± 5.51 to 10.62 ± 5.07 (p = 0.005), and from 18.15 ± 5.04 to 13.50 ± 4.81 (p = 0.005) in groups I and II respectively. The combination of n-3 PUFA and GLA (group II) increased ɤ-linolenic acid (0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.13 ± 0.11, p < 0.001), which was undetectable in all groups before the treatments; (4) Conclusion: Daily supplementation with n-3 fatty acids alone or in combination with GLA exerted significant clinical benefits and certain changes in disease activity.

Organic agriculture is a significant factor in sustainable development, and the production and marketing of organic products tend to grow steadily. The main goal of organic farming is to produce high quality food in precisely defined conditions. There are great untapped potentials for the development of organic production in Šumadija, thanking to suitable climatic and agroecological conditions, knowledge and tradition. The aim of the paper is to investigate the importance and value of organic products according to the opinion of consumers of the Šumadija region, their buying habits, and the source of information about organic products. The results show that the consumers are not buying enough organic food, but understand its role in reducing health risks. The general conclusion is that the development of organic production depends on knowledge, awareness of the need to conserve natural resources and the environment, as well as economic factors and incentives for organic production.

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of one-month consumption of polyphenol-rich standardized Aronia melanocarpa extract (SAE) on redox status in anemic hemodialysis patients. The study included 30 patients (Hb < 110g/l, hemodialysis or hemodia ltration > 3 months; > 3 times week). Patients were treated with commercially available SAE in a dose of 30 ml/day, for 30 days. After nishing the treatment blood samples were taken in order to evaluate the effects of SAE on redox status. Several parameters of anemia and in ammation were also followed. After the completion of the treatment, the levels of superoxide anion radical and nitrites signi cantly dropped, while the antioxidant capacity improved via elevation of catalase and reduced glutathione. Proven antioxidant effect was followed by bene cial effects on anemia parameters (increased hemoglobin and haptoglobin concentration, decreased ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase concentration), but SAE consumption didn`t improve in ammatory status, except for minor decrease in C-reactive protein. The consumption of SAE regulates redox status (reduce the productions of pro-oxidative molecules and increase antioxidant defense) and has bene cial effects on anemia parameters. SAE could be considered as supportive therapy in patients receiving hemodialysis which are prone to oxidative stress caused by both chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis procedure. Additionally, it could potentially be a good choice for supplementation of anemic hemodialysis patients. TRN: NCT04208451 December 23, 2019 "retrospectively registered"

As the ultimate pathophysiological event, heart failure (HF) may arise from various cardiovascular (CV) conditions, including sustained pressure/volume overload of the left ventricle, myocardial infarction or ischemia, and cardiomyopathies. Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V; formerly termed as LCZ696), a first-in-class angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, brought a significant shift in the management of HF with reduced ejection fraction by modulating both renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (angiotensin II type I receptor blockage by valsartan) and natriuretic peptide system (neprilysin inhibition by sacubitril) pathways. Besides, the efficacy of S/V has been also investigated in the setting of other CV pathologies which are during their pathophysiological course and progression deeply interrelated with HF. However, its mechanism of action is not entirely clarified, suggesting other off-target benefits contributing to its cardioprotection. In this review article our goal was to highlight up-to-date clinical and experimental evidence on S/V cardioprotective effects, as well as most discussed molecular mechanisms achieved by this dual-acting compound. Although S/V was extensively investigated in HF patients, additional large studies are needed to elucidate its effects in the setting of other CV conditions. Furthermore, with its antiinflamatory potential, this agent should be investigated in animal models of inflammatory heart diseases, such as myocarditis, while it may possibly improve cardiac dysfunction as well as inflammatory response in this pathophysiological setting. Also, discovering other signalling pathways affected by S/V should be of particular interest for basic researches, while it can provide additional understanding of its cardioprotective mechanisms.

Background/Aim. The main objective of the health system is to preserve and improve the general level of health of the population. Every country is making considerable efforts to ensure a sustainable healthcare financing system that would enable the qualitative realization of basic social security rights, rights to healthcare. The aim of the study was to determine the difference between the health system and the concepts of financing through the critical analysis of the system/model and indicators of financing health care in the Western Balkan countries. Methods. An overview of the current state of the health care system in the Western Balkan countries was based on data collected from sources such as the World Bank, World Health Organization, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports, health ministries, finance ministries and statistical institutes of all countries in the analysis. Following the classification of the data, some categories were created to identify differences and similarities between the funding methods used in the Western Balkan countries. The analysis was performed by measuring the effect of healthcare funding on variables by measuring performance. Because it is impossible to measure the relationship between variables in a single regression analysis model, several regression functions were used for accurately determining the relationship results. Results. The two indicators: a total expenditure on health services and institutions as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and health expenditure per capita shows weak positive correlation (p = 0.3) indicating that a higher amount of GDP per capita does not have a positive impact on the percentage of health expenditure in the Western Balkan countries observed. Despite differences in expenditures, all countries had a relatively similar funding method with different regulation that has impact on effectiveness of health system and resources used. Conclusion. The health sector in the Western Balkans is characterized by a lack of adequate administrative resources, legislation and regulations, as well as significant constraints in securing the necessary budget. Considering the resources devoted to the health sector in the Balkan countries, it can be said that the authorities in these countries do not see the health system as an important pillar of the country''s development, as they do not devote sufficient financial resources to ensure the functioning of the health system.